Fabric stretching and clamping device



Aug. 28, 1923..

y J. E. DoNoHo FABRIC sTRETcHmG AND CL'AMPING DEVICE Filed June 1 1922 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 l I l l I I l I Il INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Aug. 2s, 1923. 1.4665523 l J. E. DONOHO vmimic STRETCHIVNG AND CLAMPINQ DEVICE A' Filed June J, 1922 2 Sheets-Shut 2 AT TORNEY..

Patented Aug. Z8, i 1923.

patates! rfi;

FABRIC STRETCHI'NG AND CLIVIPING DEVCE.

Application flied .Tune-1, 1922. Serial No. 565,261.

To all ive/0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, loi-initie E.' DoNoi-ro, a citizen of the United States7 residing at vMilton, in the county'of Van Buren and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful `improvements in Fabric Stretching and Clamping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionA appertains to certain imf provemcnts in fabric stretching and clamp- `1 tionod, and one of an extremely simple, du-V rable and efficient construction and arrange- Anient, suchV as will be easy to handle in the positioning of the saine with respect to the work convenienti portable from one place, i 4L to another, rapid in the manipulation and operation of the parts, and cheap to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other equally important objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel and useful construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:- f Y Figure 1 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the device, D Y

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof', h

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse Asection taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar sectional view taken on the line 4:-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is another similar View taken on the line 55 ofFigure 2, and, i

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the bar used for cla-mpw ing the fabric in position after the stretching operation thereon.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, the embodiment of the invention as shown therein comprises a substantially rectangular base frame formed' of front longitudinal bars 10 and 10 and a pair of transverse bars 11 and 11 connecting the opposite ends of the front and rear bars., f Equidistantly spaced-inwardly Vof the end bars 11 and'11 are a pair of transverse brace bars 12 and 12 having flangedend. portions 13 and 13, respectively, by means lofxwhich 4they are secured in position at the innerA side edges of the bars 10 and 10. Figure 5.) Y g l Rising from the opposite ends ofY the frame or end plates 14 and 14V Awhich are angularly bent at their lower edges to provide inturned flanged portions 15 and 15 (See set flush in theunder faceof 4vthe endsl ofV the frame, the plates being secured in position by means of bolts 16 passing transversely therethrough and through the end bars 11a/nd11 rising from the forward ends of the end plates 14C and 14: are extended portions 17 and 17 which are formed to lprovide spared horizontally and inwardly disposerL pairs of ribs or flanges 18 and18l` respectively, forming recesses or seats between the same for the reception of the opposite ends of a` longitudinally disposed'V head bar'19, whereby to support the same in spaced parallel relation about the front' bar 10.

Extended between the end plates 14 and i 14 and disposed in edged relation'with re-k spect to the longitudinal center of the upper face of the front frame bar 10 iS a` clampv bar 2O which has, its opposite ends formed to provide reduced vertically disposed portions 21 which slidably engage in vertically slotted openings 22 .formed in the end plates 1li and 14 in alinement one with the other and with the vertical centers of the extended portions 17 and 17 thereof. The under longitudinal edgeof the clamp bar'20 is serrated or grooved as at 23 to provide a kfabric gripping surface thereto, wherebya strip 0f fabric may be clamped between the roughened face 23 and the upper face of the front fraine bar'10. (See Figure For raising and lowering the clamp bar 20, a recess 24: is formed on thev transverse cen or of the upper edge faceV of the same for the reception of the 'headed end of a `bearing,screw 25 threaded inwardly .of the lower reduced end portion 26 of an operat-A ing shaft 27, the reduced end pont-ion 26 o'r` the shaft 27 being-swiveled ina bar or plate 2S secured in position on the upper` edge of the clamp bar 20 and overlying thc recess. The operating shaft 27 passes down recesses formed' in the rear the passage of the headed bar 19, in linevwith the recess 2e, inthe clamp bar 20, and with the open ing alined therewithrin the bar or plate 2S., and is formed to provide an intermediate threaded portion 30 which operates in Vengagement with a threaded member or nut 3l set flush in the lower face oi' the head bar V19with its threaded bore vin alinement with the bore 29 of the latter ior the purpose. ki0

rllhe "upper endY orn the operating shaft 2? projects Youtwardly of the bore 29, in the head bar 19, and through a bearing plate 32, and has on its free end a hand wheel 8f3 'toreiectinff the operation et' the shaiit 2T correspondingly for the raising and lowei= ing movements of the clamp bar 20.

loextensive with the iront frame bar l0 is a longitudinal bar 34-, which is sustained in parallel relation with respect tothe inint bar l() by being secured at the forwardly projecting ends of a pair of operating bars and the latter extending transversei ot' the frame and having their opposite ein s slidably mounted in slotted openings ex.

tending transversely through @the iront and rear bars l0 and l0. rl`he forward ends of the operating bars 35 ssl 35 are secnred in lge o' thcl bar 3st by means of pins 86 and 36" passed vertically through the bar V3e and openings formed in the engaged end portions ot the .operating bars and 35 tor the purpose.

ln the case of the bar 34- being made ot wood-i5 suitable abutting plates 37`and S7 are embedded in the bar 3ft at the inner side of the recesses in which the connected ends oi tie operating bars 35 areV eugaggjed fwherebg,7 these ends of the operathw bars beardirectly against. ie abutth plates` 37 and-'37 substantially as is sho\ i vigiires 2 and 4L.

For adjusting the bar 34 toward Vand ron its normally close proximity to the opposed edge of the front trame bar l0, and with respect to an' opposed edge ol? a win. dow @or door screen trame, the ope-intimi bars and 35 are formed at the transverse centers with enlargements having slotted openings 38 formed therein for the engagement through the same of the ends ot a pair actuating bars 39 and 39', respectively. The engaged ends ot these actuating bars 89 and 39 are slotted as at 40, and the slots thereof are engaged over pins bolts 'il passed through the enlarged portions ot the operating bars 35 and 35 and through the slotted portions therein. Similarly, tf brace bars l2 and 12 are formed wth largements at their transverse centersTy ai are provided withrslotted openings 42 tw herethrough of intermediate portions of the actuating Lars 59 and BQ,

' which intermediate portions are slotted as at L13, engaged over -pins or bolts ifi passed through these enlargements andA slotted openings therein. These actuating bars 39 and are normally disposed one. in alinerlhe hand crank i8 is journaled in the rear frame bary l0 ari-1l Plate secured at the inner side of ther transverse center h while its rear end is handle portion 48 'tor' its manipulation.

nding between the end walls 14; and and in spaced horizontal relation at the irontrame bar l0,

reai' oi the clamp bar 2O are a pair of rollers 50 and 5l, and medially between these rollers and in airplane. below the same is a third roller 52, all ofwhich rollers are journaled on bearing rods secured at their opposite lli ends the end plates le and lli, and a brace rod flis also extended between thev latter to prevent any tendency' toward a Vspreading oit the rear endoportions' thereof and to otherwise strengthen the 'construction as a whole. y Y

the operation ofthe device,`a window orr door screen trame a lis laid onV a fiat surface and the stretcher is positioned at one end thereof with the longitudinal bar 34 abutting the adjacent bar or rail. of the same. A roll of screen wire tabricwill now be placed in position on the rollers 50, 5l and 52, and the free end oft the fabricV passed forwardly between the rollers 50 and. 52 and under the clamp bar 2O and forwardly therefrom over the window or door screen frame to the extreme forward end bar Vor rail ot the latter, wherethe free edge of the fabric will be tacked orY otherwise fastened thereto.-

The hand wheel 33 will now be manipulated to lower the clamp bar 20 against the fabric ZJ to clamp the same between the roughened or grooved face 23 of the clamp bar and the upper iacc of the front bar l0, when the hand cranl; i8 will be rotated to cause the cross head i6 to travelV rearwardly ot the fabric o, that portionV of the same overlying the window or door screen frame @,'will be tacked or otherwise secured'at all, desired points thereon after which, the hand crank i8 may berrotated in a reverse direction to rmed to provide aY Licenze move the cross head 46 forwardly on the threaded portion 47 for the relieving of the tension on the clamped portion of the wire fabric, and the hand wheel 33 also manipulated in a reverse direction for the raising of the clamp bar 2O from its clamping engagement with the wire mesh, so that the wire fabric may now be severed outwardly of the secured end portion thereof on the bar 34 of the device.

For steadying and otherwise accurately guiding the clamp bar 2O in its raising and lowering movements from and to operative fabric clamping portion, a pair of guide rods 54 are projected vertically from the upper edge of the clamp bar 2O and at points equidistantly spaced inwardly from its opposite ends and extend upwardly for sliding engagement through complemental bores formed in the head bar 19. Encircling the guide rods 54 and in interposed relation with respect to the upper and lower edge faces of the clamp bar 2O and the head bar 19 are coiled springs 55 which act to'equally tension the opposite ends of the clamp bar 20 and in a manner to assure of the roughened lower odge face of the latter uniformly gripping the fabric underlying the same throughout its extent. Also the opposite end plates 14 and 14 are preferably formed to provide horizontally disposed slotted openings 56 whereby to be conveniently grasped by the hands of the operator for facilitating the carrying of the device from one place of operation to another.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that, while a preferred embodiment of the device has been described and illustrated herein in specific terms and details of construction and arrangement, various changes in and modifications of the same may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Haring thus fully described the invention, what is claimed, is

1. ri device for the purpose set forth comprising a support for a roll of screen fabric adapted to have the web thereof extended therefrom and connected to a screen frame for the screening of the opening formed by the framei a screen frame shifting element arranged in advance of said support and adapted to be positioned against the frame when the fabric web is extended lforwardly from the roll and support and connected to the frame for screening the opening formed thereby, means carried by said support forwardly of the roll land arranged rearwardly 0 said element for clamping the extended bric web inwardly of its connected end, neans slidably mounted in said support for onnecting said element therewith, oppositely isposcd synchronously operating members 'or shifting said means and said element tions between said members and said slidf f able connecting means, operating means for said members, and means for pivotallyconnecting said members to 'the operating means.

2. A device for the purpose set fortlhA comprisin.Of a support having means forv suspending rearwardly thereon a roll of screen fabric adapted to have its vweb'extended there-V from and forwardly of the 'support and connected to a screen frame for r"screening the opening'formed by the frame, a screen frame shifting element arranged in advance of said support and adapted to be interposed between the support and the screen frame when thev fabric web is extended forwardly from the roll and support and connected to the frame for screening the openingformed by tie frame, a vertically movable clampin@ member carriedvby said 'support and arranged rearwardly of said element for clamping the extended web inwardly of its connected end, a pair 'of operatingvbars slidably mounted in said support, projecting forwardly therefrom and coupled with said element for shifting it and the screen frame forwardly to draw taut that portion ofthe web extended forwardly from said clamping member, and means for operating'said bars.'

3. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a supportl having'ni'eans for suspending rearwardly thereon a roll of screen fabric adapted to have its web extended therefrom and forwardly of the support and connected to a screen frame for screening the opening formed by the frame, a screen frame shifting element arranged in advance of said support and adapted tobe interposed between the support and the screen frame when the fabric web is extended forwardly from the roll and support and connected to the frame for screening the opening formed by the frame, a. vertically movable clamping member carried by said support and arranged rearwardly of said element for clamping the extended webinwardly of its connected end, a pair of operating bars slidably mounted in said support, projecting forwardly therefrom and coupled with said relement for shifting it and the screen frame forwardly to draw taut that portion of the web extended forwardly from said clamping member, a pair of op positely disposed synchronously operating members engaging with said bars for shifting them and said element with the screen frame forwardly to draw taut that portion of the web extended forwardly from said clamping means, and operating means for said members.

4. A device for the purpose/*set forth comprising a support having means` for susy element for clamping the Vextended web inwardly of its connected end, a pair of operating bars slidably mounted in said support, projecting forwardly therefrom. and coupled with said element for shiftingr it and the screen frame forwardly to draw taut that portion of the web extended forwardly from said clampinginember, a pair of o positely disposed synchronously operatingr members engaging with said bars for shifting them and said element with the screen frame forwardlyrto draw taut that portion of the web extended' forwardly from said clamping means7 and operating means for said members, saidrmembers pivotally con- `nected with said operating` means and having pin and slot connections with said bars.

5. A de-vice for the purpose set forth com` prising a support having means for suspending rearwardly thereon a roll of screen fabric adapted to have its web extended therefrom and forwardly of the support and connerted to a screen frame for screening the opening formed by the'frame, a screen frame'shifting element arranged in advance of said support and adapted to be interposed between the support and the screen frame when forwardly from the roll and support and conneotedto the frame for screeningthe openingT formed by the frame, a vertically movable clampinpr member carried by said support and arranged rearwardly of said element for clamping the extended web inwardly of its connected end, a pair of operating bars' slidably mounted'in said support, projecting forwardly therefrom and coupledV with said element forshifting it and the .screen frame forwardly to draw taut that portion ofthe web extended forwardly from said clampingmember, a pair' of oppositely disposed Ysynchronously operating members engaging with said bars for shifting them and said element with the screen frame forwardly to draw taut that portion of the web extended forwardly from said clamping` means, and operating means for said members7 said members pivotally conY nected with said operating means and having pin and slot connections with said bars,v

and said members further having pinA and slot connections with said support.

ln testimony whereof7 l affix my signature hereto.

JHNNE E. DONOHO.

the fabric web is extended 

